Caught Up

AN- KYAAAAAAA!!! I made an incredibly stupid mistake! I accidently posted chapter 5 and no chapter 4. Ooops. Haha sorry! This is the REAL chapter 4.

Chapter 4- The Knight, The Dragon, and The Damsel in Distress


In the late hours of the morning, Kagome woke up, groaning. Her entire body was very sore and stiff, and she could barely move her limbs. She knew from the dull headache, sore throat and stuffy nose that she must have a bad cold.

But she felt better than last night. ‘Don’t think about that’ she told herself firmly.

Kagome felt tired- all she wanted to do was close her eyes and go back to sleep. The bed sheets were soft and warm, her body wrapped snugly in-

Kagome bolted out of bed realizing she didn’t know where she was. “How’d I get here? The last thing I remember is… Oh no! Did Naraku kidnap me?”
Ignoring the pulsing pain on her temples, she looked around the room. The digital clock on the bedside table read 10:28am. The bed had white and dark blue shadings, and she could see the bathroom to her right and another door in front of her. There was also a small TV in front of the bed and a table with 2 chairs next to the window. Not a clothing in sight. Kagome wrapped a blanket around herself and walked to the window, pushed back the curtains, and gasped.

She was in a very, very big building, probably on the 30th floor or so. She could see other business buildings just as tall crowded around, their tinted windows shiny. Below Kagome saw the streets filled with busy traffic and people scurrying around like ants.

“Where am I?” Not really expecting an answer, Kagome jumped and whipped slowly turned around when she heard a voice behind her
”You are at Tashio Corporation”
Sesshoumaru stood by the door dressed in a black Armani suit with silver dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top (DROOL). He saw relief visibly spread through out her pale face at the sight of him.

”It’s you!” Without thinking, Kagome ran at him, falling at his feet. “Thank you, but… you should have left me to die. Why am I still here? Doushite?”
He didn’t answer, just stared at her intently. They were both quiet for a moment.
”They will help you get cleaned up. You are to meet me in my office in an hour”
”But-“ before she could say anything else, or ask who “they” were, he left and 2 women came in.

The shorter woman had long black hair pulled back in a loose braid and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a white blouse with dark gray dress pants and black high heels, and she was holding a large paper bag.
The other one was clad in a black knee-length skirt with slits on the side, a silky red shirt and a black jacket over it. Her dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. She smiled at Kagome and closed the door.

”Hi there. I’m Sango, and this is Kikyo. We heard that you-“ she never got to finish. Because the moment Kagome saw the new comers she had crawled back to a corner of the bed and pulled the sheets over her head. Kikyo threw Sango a look of warning. “I mean, Sesshoumaru-sama asked us to tend to your injuries, so…”

Kagome curled up into a ball under the blankets and tried to ignore her. She took a fistful of blackest in her hands and studied the intertwining designs of blue and white on the pillow she was hugging.

The 2 women didn’t know how to react. After a while when Kagome didn’t say anything Kikyo went to sit on the edge of the bed and place her hand on her shoulder.
”Don’t worry” Kagome didn’t say a word, but she couldn’t stop the thoughts that went through her head
What are you telling me to do?
”Let us help you”
I don’t need to
”I need to look at your wounds”
I don’t want you to
”Will you come out from under there?”
No. Go away. Please? I don’t want you
”You don’t have to talk about what happened”
Leave me alone
”We want to help you”
I don’t need you. I want him.

Kagome scooted away to the other side of the bed. She heard someone sigh and walk out of the room. She didn’t know how long she stayed there in the quiet, her arms wrapped around her knee as the sun warmed her bed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Many days passed, and not once did Kagome leave the sanctuary of her strange room. She only got out of bed to go to the bathroom, and other times hid under the covers whenever anyone approached. She spent hours at a time staring out her window, at the sunrise, morning, noon, sunset, and the moon and the stars at night. It became a pattern for her. Kagome felt cutoff from everyone below.

The girl named Sango visited her everyday and brought her food and some of her own clothes. Kagome sometimes saw Kikyo and was introduced to Ayame, but Sango was the only one who ever saw her out of her bed and the only one who seemed to feel comfortable and relaxed around her. The others seemed awkward when they saw Kagome and didn’t know what to say. She talked to Kagome while she gazed out the window in her chair, a thin blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Sango knew she listened, even though she never responded. She chattered away drinking tea; about herself, her family dojo that she managed, her life at the company, about being a secretary for a lecherous man named Miroku Kazaana, etc. Sango also talked a lot about Inu Yasha, Sesshoumaru’s brother, Kouga, Kikyo, and Ayame.

Kagome had to admit, it was impressive that someone barely older than her held a job at such a well established company.

Kagome came to liked Sango, but she never talked, just listened. She didn’t eat the food or the medicine she brought; and she neither drank nor ate for a long time, becoming thinner and unhealthier with every passing day, although she could tell she hurt the only friend she had there.

Well, not exactly the only friend. Kagome had Sesshoumaru, not that he was around much. She knew he was a very busy demon, but she couldn’t help feeling hurt by his lack of presence. Not once had she seen him after she was first brought there. Sometimes, in the mornings or late at night, she saw a flash of something silver enter or exit a black limousine, and wondered if it was him coming to and fro. Kagome tried to be nothing but grateful for everything he had done for her, but wondered when she was going to see him again.
He occupied her mind constantly; Kagome wondered if all the things she heard about Sesshoumaru Tashio from her visitors was true- that he was very cold, distant, frightening youkai who kept his emotions behind a stoic mask and usually scared his competitors out of their minds. Kagome didn’t believe any of it. If even the slightest of it was true, he would never have brought her here and provided for her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Presently, Kagome walked out of the bathroom wiping her face with a towel as the sun was setting. She sat on her bed and picked up the phone for the 97th time. For a while Kagome had been tempted to call her home. She wanted to, at least, talk to her dear brother. ‘Sota, I hope you’re alright’ she thought as she put the phone back down and rubbed her eyes.

BAM!

The door flew open so hard it crashed against the wall and closed back. Someone threw it open again and stormed inside. “You damn mutt, Sesshoumaru! Are you in he-”
The stranger stopped in his tracks when he saw a young girl sitting on the large bed in a white robe with a towel wrapped around her head (she just took a bath), and clamped his hands over his ears as she let out a terrified scream.

“Ouch, woman, must you scream so loudly with that pitch of yours?”
Kagome’s breath caught in her throat and she paled, her towel falling from her head. Her wavy black hair fell to her mid-back and her blue eyes widened. The man stared at her. ‘She is beautiful! I must make her mine!’ He took a step towards her, and she backed up until he was standing right next to the bed and Kagome was cornered.
”I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to frighten you. I was looking from Mr. Tashio, Miss…?” he asked expectantly. But Kagome was frozen from head to toe. He tried again, giving her a wolfish grin. “Excuse me, but are you his…?” Kagome shook her head. He decided to use his classic technique that sent many women sprawling at his feet. He lunged forward and grabbed her hands “You are my woman! My name is-”

“Kouga, get your dirty hands off of her. Now” Sesshoumaru snarled. Kouga looked around to see him leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed.
”Why? She says she’s not with you, and that means she can be my mate if I want”

Sesshoumaru strode over to Kouga and lifted him away from the cowering girl by the back of his neck, and threw him out the door “If you touch her in that manner again, I will kill you” with that he slammed the door shut, and turned around to see Kagome was back under the blankets.

He rubbed the back of his neck in a tired way. Why does she always hide? Does she honestly think I cannot see her? He knew what she had been doing all this time. He watched from a distance as she became sicker with lack of nutrition, and how she never uttered a word except in her sleep when her nightmares tormented her. He saw her thrash around in her bed, her breath coming in short gasps, groaning and whimpering, clutching her sweat soaked bed sheets only to wake up every night screaming, and then cry herself back to sleep moaning his name.

“Kagome” the deep velvety voice seemed to calm her somewhat. “Daijoubu. No one will hurt you now.”

‘Why do I always want to cry when I hear his voice? Why do I keep wishing he could see me…?’

Kagome peeked out from under her blanket and saw Sesshoumaru hovering over her. He got on one knee so that he was eye level with her, and took her hands in his own. “That’s a guarantee” He smiled a little. “As long as you’re with me, no one will be able to lay a finger on you again”

She turned her head and looked at him.

“……” Where have you been?
”I promise” he leaned forward and brushed her bangs away before he knew what he was doing.

Suddenly, Kagome burst in to tears, shocking Sesshoumaru. Now, he might be rich, handsome, and tough, but he was still a man. And all men are horrified when a woman, a girl no less, starts crying in front of them. But fortunately for Kagome, Sesshoumaru was no fool. And neither his demon side nor rational side could resist reaching out to her and comforting her.

Kagome let everything out. All the feelings she had been bottling up inside her; she had been forcing back her tears for so long, she couldn’t help breaking down completely in front of this demon who was still more of a stranger to her (the things she knew about him, she heard from Sango, who had a lot to say about him). And yet she couldn’t help feeling some sort of admiration and need for him.

As Kagome curled up into a ball and cried in anguish, biting her lip and trying not to make a noise, she felt Sesshoumaru’s strong arms wrap around her. She blinked and found herself cradled on his lap.

”Shh, it’ll be alright” his demon side purred with satisfaction at having Kagome rest her head against his shoulder.

It was at that moment that something broke inside her. With a miserable sob Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and cried without restraint. She wasn’t ready to talk about what happened, or even accept it, but for now, taking comfort in his embrace was more than enough. The fact that someone knew what she was going through without her having to say a word was… relieving.

Soon she fell asleep in his arms, and Sesshoumaru laid her on the bed. He whispered, “I’m sorry I couldn’t get there in time. I won’t be late again” Before kissing her softly on her forehead. He walked out of the room and closed the door with a soft click as a small smile graced his lips for the first time in years.

A Couple of Hours Later

Late that night, Kagome woke up. She was feeling strangely cheerful (‘There’s nothing like a good cry!’ she thought to herself), and looked around, her face expectant. She had half hoped she’d wake up still in his arms. ‘Kami, I don’t even know the guy, and here I am falling in love with him...” She walked to the door, slightly disappointed that he wasn’t waiting for her, opened it, and gasped. What she thought to be a single-room, hotel sort of a place turned out to be a magnificent flat, complete with a kitchen, living room, dining area, a flat screen TV, stereo and leather couches.

“Wow. He must be a really important youkai working here to have an entire private floor all to himself”

The moonlight drifted in lighted something on the dining table. “Eh?”
She walked over and felt like melting on the spot all over again. “Heh, it’s the little things that matter, isn’t it?” She wiped a tear from her cheek ‘how is it that he says what I want to hear? How is it that he knows exactly what I need…?’ Laughing for the first time since she met him, Kagome plopped down on a cushioned chair, seized a chocolate chip cookie from its platter that sat next to a tall glass of cold milk, and read piece of yellow paper from Sesshoumaru that lay next to it.

Dear Kagome

I must take my leave for tonight, but I instructed these cookies made myself as I know how females can get. But I hope you don’t look too much into it, it is a one time thing. I believe there is also a collection of what you might call “sappy chick flicks” next to the TV. Enjoy your night; it is my deepest regret that I cannot join you.

PS) I think you would do well to check the fridge

Signed, S.J.T.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Men. Hmm, I wonder what the J and the T stand for…” Stuffing the last cookie in her mouth Kagome walked around to the freezer and opened it. Her jaw fell open. It was crammed with all sorts of different ice creams she had ever tasted. Kagome was truly touched by his thoughtfulness, or lack of. Who in the world would think of giving her ice cream, of all things? It was nothing special, yet meaningful.
’May be I should get Sango? I could use a girlfriend right now. Oh wait; I don’t know how to reach her.’ She thought. But she saw another note pinned to the door that read ‘If you would like company, you may reach Sango. I know you two have been spending some time together’ Below it was a phone number. ‘How in the world does he know everything?’ she mused to herself.

She couldn’t believe she was feeling so bouncy and fidgety. She was nervous, sure, but she felt as if a great weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

Kagome raided the fridge and brought an armload of food to the living room, setting them down on the table, and called Sango. She didn’t pick up, so Kagome hung up and shifted through the numerous DVDs on its shelf. In the end she decided on comedy, watching movie after movie all night eating all the junk food she could get all night. Kagome was hungry, but she should have known better than to starve herself and then gorge immediately after, the result being she spent some unpleasant moments in the bathroom. But, as she finally fell asleep on the couch, Kagome felt content.

Even to her, her behavior was strange, but she liked the feeling Sesshoumaru gave her through his thoughtful actions. As Kagome yawned and stretched herself on the comfortable, black, leathery couch, she looked to her side, as if expecting to see a silver haired youkai.